Are you ready for the salad that will leave you dreaming about it? This Thai inspired dish is so refreshing and is unlike any other medley that you have tasted before. The papaya has a bright, juicy flavor and when paired with Thai red chili peppers & jalapeño it is given an essence of heat but is cooled with the sweetness of mango and the citrus notes of fresh squeezed lime. A sprinkle of palm sugar and crushed peanuts brings this dish all the way home. I promise you will want to make this one again and again. If you have a mortar & pestle, it’s time to bust it out (and if you don’t, that’s okay too)!

Recipe by: The Culinary Nest

MAKES

4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 large green papaya, peeled & shredded

1 carrot, peeled & shredded

1 mango, pitted & cubed

1 jalapeño, diced & seeded (if less heat is desired)

1 red Thai chile, finely sliced (or serrano if not available), optional- but recommended

2 limes, juice of

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons of palm sugar (or brown sugar)

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons chopped peanuts or cashews

Lime wedges for serving

METHOD

• In a medium bowl combine the shredded papaya, carrot, cubed mango, jalapeño, and Thai chile.

• If using a mortar & pestle, in the mortar add the garlic, jalapeño, thai chile, and sugar and use the pestle to mash and bruise the ingredients together, but not totally pulverize, until the sugar dissolves. You can also accomplish this by placing the ingredients in a mixing bowl and using a cocktail muddler or wooden spoon to smash together.

• Next, add the lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce to the mortar, stir to combine, and pour this mixture over the papaya mixture. Take a wooden spoon and lightly mix and mash the ingredients all together until combined. Taste for flavor, adding a sprinkle of sugar if more sweetness is desired, more peppers for heat, or another squeeze of lime juice for acidity. Top with the crushed peanuts, divide into bowls and enjoy!